How Words Affect Your Health

How Words Affect Your Health

‘Sticks and stones may break my bones…

but names can never hurt me.’ These are the words of the childhood chant I’d use to counter to unkind taunts from kids at school.

I understand a lot more about language than I did in school and now know why, despite my little chant, the words cut so deeply…

How you ‘make sense’ of words

You use your five senses to ‘make sense’ of what you’re told. You make a representation internally – in your mind – of the word you hear. For example, reading the word ‘dog’, your internal representation might be a picture a dog. You may recall a dog bark, the feel of a dogs coat or the smell of a dog. (Hopefully there’s no taste!) Or all the senses might be engaged to make sense of that one word.

These internal representations can alter your state.

Internal representations occur almost instantaneously and for the most part unconsciously. You might only be aware of how you feel. The way you feel is the result of the internal representations you made in your mind in response to what was said.

Why Words Wound

Click the button and you’ll get some first hand experience of how words impact your body.

Watch what you say!

I’m sure, deep down you understand the effect of harsh words. You are probably careful about what you say to others. But whether you say the words out loud or say them to yourself, they still have an impact.

Are you also care-ful about what you say to yourself?

What type of words do you use when you talk to yourself?

Imagine how you’d feel each night, if you’d used negative language to yourself all day long. Long-term negative thinking contributes to depression and ill health. On the other hand, positive conversations contribute to good health and well-being. Monitor your internal language using ‘Steph’s rule’:)

What’s ‘Steph’s rule’?

Only talk yourself the way you’d talk to someone you really care about.